זוהר, שמות מ״בZohar, Shemot 42

Segment 1א׳

אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָאי אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, מַה הֲוָה מַחֲשַׁבְתְּהוֹן דְּמִצְרָאֵי, דְּמִמְנַע מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל פִּרְיָה וּרְבִיָּה, וְשֻׁלְטָנָא דִּמְמָנָא עֲלֵיהוֹן דְּאָעִיל בְּלִבְּהוֹן כַּךְ. אֶלָּא, אָמַר לְהוֹן, הֲווֹ יַדְעִין, דְּזַמִּין בְּרָא חֲדָא לְמֵיפַק מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, דְּיִתְעֲבֵיד דִּינָא בֶּאֱלהֵיהוֹן עַל יְדֵיהּ.

R. Judah said in the name of R. Isaac: ‘Why did the Egyptians so desire to prevent Israel from multiplying, and what motive prompted their supernal representative to put such a desire into their hearts? Because he knew and made known to them that a son would be born to the Israelites through whom judgement should be brought upon the gods of Egypt;

Segment 2ב׳

דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה, (שמות י״ב:י״ב) וּבְכָל אֱלהֵי מִצְרַיִם אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים הָלַךְ דּוּמָה שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם, ד' מֵאוֹת פַּרְסָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, גְּזֵרָה נִגְזְרָה לְפָנַי, דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו כ״ד:כ״א) יִפְקֹד יְיָ' עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם וְגוֹ'. בְּאוֹתָה שָׁעָה נִטְּלָה הַשְּׂרָרָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וְנִתְמַנָּה דּוּמָה שַׂר שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם, לִידוֹן שָׁם נַפְשׁוֹת הָרְשָׁעִים. וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר עַל הַמֵּתִים נִתְמַנָּה.

for, according to R. Johanan, when Moses said that God “will exercise judgement against all the gods of Egypt” (Ex. 12, 12), Duma, the celestial Prince of Egypt, ran away four hundred parasangs, and the Holy One said to him: “It is My decree!” In that hour his power and his dominion was taken from him, and he was banished, instead, to the lower regions and appointed over the realms of Gehenna, as judge of the souls of the wicked.’ R. Judah said that he was appointed over the dead.

Segment 3ג׳

אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָא, כְּתִיב (במדבר ל״ג:ד׳) וּבֵאלֹהֵיהֶם עָשָׂה יְיָ' שְׁפָטִים. וְכִי בֶּאֱלהַּ שֶׁל כֶּסֶף, וְשֶׁל זָהָב, וְשֶׁל עֵץ, וְשֶׁל אֶבֶן, יֶשׁ שְׁפָטִים. אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב הָיוּ נִתָּכִים מֵאֲלֵיהֶם, וְשֶׁל עֵץ מִתְרַקְּבִין.

R. Hanina said: ‘It is written: “Upon their gods also the Lord executed judgements” (Num. 33, 4). Can we speak of judgements being executed on gods made of silver or gold, of wood or stone?’ R. Jose replied: ‘Those made of silver and gold were melted of themselves, and the wooden rotted of themselves.’